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The TQUK Level 5 Diploma in Teaching (Further Education and Skills) is the DfE-framework teaching qualification for colleges, training providers and adult education. Study online with a named UK tutor alongside a 250-hour teaching placement, and receive your TQUK certificate on completion.
This diploma replaces the Level 5 Diploma in Education and Training (DET), and is the qualification new FE teachers now register on.
| Qualification | TQUK Level 5 Diploma in Teaching (Further Education and Skills) (RQF) |
|---|---|
| Level | Level 5 |
| Awarding body | TQUK (Training Qualifications UK) |
| Qualification number | 610/3842/8 |
| Exams | Portfolio of evidence, no exams |
| Price | £79.99 a month, or £815.99 in total |
| Typical duration | 12 to 18 months |
| Age | 19 or over |
| Who it suits | Are a subject specialist or industry professional who wants to teach post-16 |
Two views: what further education teaching professionals earn across the UK according to the Office for National Statistics, and the Department for Education's median salary in general FE colleges.
DfE 2024/25: median FTE salary of teaching staff £37,600 in general FE colleges, £32,000 at independent training providers, £49,700 in sixth form colleges (dfe_fe2025).
SOC 3574 is the closest code for workplace assessors and trainers; it also includes trainers in industry, so the spread is wide. Print the 25th to 75th percentile, not just the median.
Not sure which level you need? Read our comparison of the Level 3 AET, Level 4 CET and Level 5 Diploma in Teaching.
| Level 3 Certificate | classroom support, 12 hours a week in school |
| Level 3 Teaching Assistant Diploma | deepen practice |
| HLTA Level 4 | lead classes, higher pay band |
| Level 5 Diploma in Teaching FE & Skills | teach post-16 |
| CAVA L3 | assessor branch |
There is no course fee to find, no finance agreement to sign and no debt to worry about. Your first 7 days are free, then you pay for the month you are in, and every payment is covered by the 14-day money back guarantee. Prefer to start now? Pay today instead of taking the trial and every payment is 15% lower for life, with the same 14-day guarantee.
You never sign a credit agreement with us, so there is no debt and nothing for anyone to chase. If you stop paying, you simply stop studying. No finance company, no loan and no letters.
Learners must have access to a work placement, within a further education setting, throughout the duration of this qualification. The placement should be a minimum of 250 hours, with at least 150 hours dedicated to teaching practice.
Assessing and teaching post-16 are separate TQUK qualifications; the diploma is the full teaching route.
120 credits from 11 mandatory units. No optional units.
There are no exams. This Ofqual-regulated TQUK diploma is a portfolio of evidence plus a 30-minute professional discussion, with at least ten observed teaching sessions. Two mentors support the placement. It is quality assured by TQUK. Grading is pass only.
Portfolio of evidence plus a 30-minute professional discussion; minimum 10 observed teaching sessions of at least 45 minutes; two placement mentors (subject specialist and pastoral). Internally marked, externally quality assured by TQUK.
Work through the unit online with your named UK tutor.
Observation, witness statements, work products and reflective accounts from your real workplace.
Marked in 5 to 7 working days. Pass or refer. Resubmit until every criterion is met. Your certificate comes from TQUK.
Yes. You study this Ofqual-regulated TQUK diploma online with a named UK tutor, alongside a teaching placement of at least 250 hours, including 150 hours of teaching. The observations and hours cannot be simulated. There are no exams. Training Qualifications UK issues the certificate.
Training Qualifications UK issues the certificate. Lift College teaches the course and TQUK awards it.
TQUK's stated goal: Be number one in technical education
certificates issued since 2013
qualifications across more than 20 sectors
employers use TQUK for apprenticeship assessment
Figures from tquk.org, September 2026. TQUK, Crossgate House, Sale, Manchester. Recognised by Ofqual, the qualifications regulator for England.
TQUK approves the centre, the tutors who assess you and the way the course is delivered before a single learner is registered.
An external quality assurer from TQUK samples assessed work from Lift College learners. Your result stands because TQUK has agreed it, not just your tutor.
Your certificate is printed by TQUK with a unique number. Any employer or university can confirm it is real on TQUK's certificate verification service. TQUK certificate verification
The same UK tutor supports you from enrolment through to your certificate.
Marked in 5 to 7 working days.
Your dashboard shows what you have completed and what comes next.
If a unit is referred, you resubmit at no extra cost until every criterion is met.
One price for the full course, with every fee included. Try it free for 7 days, or start now and every payment is 15% lower for life.
Full access for 7 days. Your first payment is on day 8, and you can cancel any time before then from your account.
£79.99/month from day 8
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£79.99£67.99/month, for life
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TrevorLevel 3 Diploma in Adult Care (RQF)It is the DfE-framework teaching qualification for colleges, training providers and adult education. This Ofqual-regulated TQUK diploma is 120 credits. You study online with a named UK tutor alongside a 250-hour teaching placement, and Training Qualifications UK issues the certificate.
Yes. This Ofqual-regulated TQUK diploma is the teaching qualification for colleges, training providers and adult education. You need a placement in a further education setting, with at least 150 hours of teaching inside 250 placement hours. It is not the route into a primary or secondary school.
Yes. The TQUK Level 5 Diploma in Teaching (Further Education and Skills) is an Ofqual-regulated TQUK qualification on the Ofqual register. The qualification number is 610/3842/8. Training Qualifications UK issues the certificate, and Lift College is a TQUK recognised centre.
No. Portfolio of evidence plus a 30-minute professional discussion; minimum 10 observed teaching sessions of at least 45 minutes; two placement mentors (subject specialist and pastoral). Internally marked, externally quality assured by TQUK. Grading is Pass only, no grading.
One price covers the full course with every fee included: a named UK tutor, marking in 5 to 7 working days, AI Study Support, and your TQUK certificate. There is nothing extra to pay.
You need to be 19 or over. Qualified or experienced in your subject; able to study at Level 5; Level 2 English and maths achieved before starting; no criminal background preventing work as a teacher; digital competence. Your setting may require you to be 18 for an enhanced DBS check or lone working.
This is the teaching qualification for further education and skills. The page also shows the Level 4 HLTA certificate and the Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement.
Training Qualifications UK (TQUK) issues the certificate. Lift College is a TQUK recognised centre.
No. This page does not call the diploma a PGCE. It is the Ofqual-regulated TQUK teaching qualification for further education and skills, not the PGCE or QTS route for primary or secondary schools. QTLS is a separate application after the diploma.
Yes. The placement is a minimum of 250 hours, with at least 150 hours of teaching practice, at least 100 of them in your own subject. This Ofqual-regulated TQUK diploma also needs ten observed sessions of at least 45 minutes. The hours cannot be simulated.
This is the TQUK Level 5 Diploma in Teaching (Further Education and Skills), the teaching qualification for colleges, training providers and adult education.
12 to 18 months alongside a teaching role
The default is a free 7-day trial with your first payment on day 8. If you would rather start now, you pay today instead and every payment is 15% lower for as long as you study. Your 14-day money-back guarantee still applies: change your mind for any reason within 14 days and we refund the full payment.
An enhanced DBS check is normally arranged by your employer or placement setting. Your setting may require you to be 18 for an enhanced DBS check or lone working.
Yes. Annual billing saves 15%: £815.99 for the year instead of £79.99 a month. The 7-day free trial and 14-day money back apply either way.
The Level 5 Diploma in Teaching is the qualification the Education and Training Foundation accepts for professional formation leading to QTLS. QTLS itself is a separate application to the Society for Education and Training.
A UK adviser calls you back within 2 working hours, Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm. No sales script.
